Author Topic: How do you process your film? (Read 7598 times)

ManuelL · « **on:** May 01, 2015, 04:26:20 PM »

Hello,

I have never done a poll, but thought maybe it is the time. I would find it interesting to see how you people here develop your film. There are just so many ways - sloppy, precise, biological, techy...
I would say that I am probably somewhere between options 1 and 7 most of the times, but sometimes take a route close to option 2 as well.

Looking forward to your answers.
Manuel

Bryan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 01, 2015, 04:55:50 PM »

I only process black and white at home, C-41 and E-6 go to a lab. I like the semi-stand development because it's cheap and easy, plus I'm happy with the results. I interested in trying Caffinol in the future.

Indofunk · « **Reply #2 on:** May 01, 2015, 05:12:40 PM »

Option 7 is spot-on for me!

How did you know?

B&W, with a few exceptions, is HC110 dil E or H, for approx 10 min. Color is standard C41 (whether the film is C41 or E6). I postpone C41 development way more than B&W dev just because the temp regulation is enough of a PITA for me to say, yeah I'll do it tomorrow

SLVR · « **Reply #3 on:** May 01, 2015, 05:34:37 PM »

What about "I just process based on the recommendations on the bottle"

ManuelL · « **Reply #4 on:** May 01, 2015, 05:45:10 PM »

Quote from: SLVR on May 01, 2015, 05:34:37 PM

What about "I just process based on the recommendations on the bottle"

Good point! Have added that option.

ManuelL · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2015, 05:48:21 PM »

Quote from: Indofunk on May 01, 2015, 05:12:40 PM

Option 7 is spot-on for me! How did you know?

It is just, what happened to me this week.

Late Developer · « **Reply #6 on:** May 01, 2015, 10:55:59 PM »

Another option required:

"I'm too busy, so I post my film to a lab 200 miles away that was recommended to me by a friend and they process (and scan) for me".

jharr · « **Reply #7 on:** May 01, 2015, 11:45:34 PM »

I am about as sloppy and careless as I can be without spilling the chems everywhere. Even C-41 is only 'kind of' temp controlled. Times vary, temps vary I'm really all over the map. Maybe I had enough precise measurement when I worked in the lab. Good enough almost always works and electronic post processing takes care of just about everything else. The wonder of "holy crap that actually worked!" when I see images on the negs coming out of the tank pays double the dividends for being lazy.

astrobeck · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2015, 12:09:11 AM »

For B&W, I use caffenol exclusively or I make some kind of home brew out of things around the house....mainly juniper berries.
And no, I'm not distilling gin...yet!

For color I use a kit from Freestyle.
I watch the temps fairly close, but have done the coffee thing long enough to adjust if the temps are off a degree or two.

Fun poll!
Thanks Manuel!

Indofunk · « **Reply #9 on:** May 02, 2015, 06:32:31 AM »

Quote from: jharr on May 01, 2015, 11:45:34 PM

Good enough almost always works and electronic post processing takes care of just about everything else.

This is the best I've heard it stated. I say it deserves a place with my "Rodinal 1:100 develops anything!"

LT · « **Reply #10 on:** May 02, 2015, 07:33:35 AM »

I over expose the film and use a catechol-based home-brew developer which tans and stain so helps deal with the highlight values . This gives me a throughly detailed negative that works really well in split grade printing and also in scanning. The perfect hybrid negative.

LT · « **Reply #11 on:** May 02, 2015, 07:36:20 AM »

You are right jharr. If you are scanning, none of the exactness is really that crucial. Scanning makes even the most poorly exposed and badly developed negative salvageable. If you are darkroom printing, then things are very different and require more attention.

Photo_Utopia · « **Reply #12 on:** May 02, 2015, 09:04:01 AM »

With E6 I now send it out, sometimes I process C41 then sometimes it goes to Peak imaging. B&W is normally Rodinal, although I do sometimes use Microphen for very fast films like D3200 or even D76. I used to like Ilfotec HC quite a lot and have tried coffee and Pyro. Something takes me back to Rodinal though.

ManuelL · « **Reply #13 on:** May 02, 2015, 09:55:47 AM »

Quote from: Leon on May 02, 2015, 07:33:35 AM

I over expose the film and use a catechol-based home-brew developer which tans and stain so helps deal with the highlight values . This gives me a throughly detailed negative that works really well in split grade printing and also in scanning. The perfect hybrid negative.

I used Moersch Tanol for a while, but after I rinsed with rinse aid I got a sticky (honey like) residue left on the gelatine that sometimes formed visible droplets. I am not sure if it was actually from the developer or if I made a mistake in the process, but I completely gave up taning developers then - although I really liked the tonal range it produced.

Rafael Morales · « **Reply #14 on:** May 02, 2015, 01:19:29 PM »

I send out color. (I love color.

) But I have developed 120 at home (b&w) and I look forward to doing some more in the future. Once I make space for it in the fridge.

gsgary · « **Reply #15 on:** May 02, 2015, 06:18:11 PM »

I do all b+w at home mostly with Rodinal but get colour developed at the local chemist/photography shop, they sell a good bit of film related products, but im going to try another local developer that gets rave reviews UK lab only 5 minutes away

Francois · « **Reply #16 on:** May 02, 2015, 08:14:04 PM »

You know, they could still make the text on those bottles of HC-110 a bit smaller and I'd be OK...
Besides, the stuff can process just about anything!

I still send color out but at 13$ for a roll of 24 exp. with prints, it's getting a bit on the expensive side.

Indofunk · « **Reply #17 on:** May 02, 2015, 08:21:46 PM »

Quote from: Francois on May 02, 2015, 08:14:04 PM

You know, they could still make the text on those bottles of HC-110 a bit smaller and I'd be OK...
Besides, the stuff can process just about anything!

It's no Rodinal, but yes it does develop almost anything

KevinAllan · « **Reply #18 on:** May 02, 2015, 09:43:51 PM »

I develop B&W, C41, and occasionally E6 at home, in each case using a Jobo CPE2 processor.
Where possible I use the time and temperature recommendations in the manufacturers technical specification sheets.

Terry · « **Reply #19 on:** May 02, 2015, 10:27:24 PM »

I use Rodinal and HC-110 at medium-to-high dilutions and caffenol sometimes too. I think I like the results I get with HC-110 dilution H best for tonality and detail.

Edit: now I've started doing C-41. The sky's the limit!

Indofunk · « **Reply #20 on:** May 02, 2015, 11:13:31 PM »

I consider dil H to be pretty low, no? B is double that, and according to the bottle (let me get my loupe out...) it looks like the "standard" dilution...

imagesfrugales · « **Reply #21 on:** May 02, 2015, 11:59:16 PM »

Parodinal, Caffenol, Beutler, Mytol, today I mix all bw developers at home from scratch. Readymade fixer is cheaper than selfmixed. But I still could fix with kitchen salt (> 300g/l, 24 hours). Color film goes to a lab. They also make cheap but decent bw and color prints, sometimes I make silvergelatine prints at home.

charles binns · « **Reply #22 on:** May 03, 2015, 12:31:31 AM »

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

mickld · « **Reply #23 on:** May 03, 2015, 12:56:09 AM »

I've recently picked up a bottle of HC-11 to try and introduce a little rigour into my film dev. I've mostly been using R09 semi stand to date. I have the feeling I'm maybe selling myself short by not doing it by the book. Plus it gives me the ability to push 400 speed film too.

I've been doing some C41 at home recently with so-so results. I did ship out a couple of rolls of Portra 400 to http://ukfilmlab.com a few weeks ago that absolutely positively could not go wrong. Pricey but I was very pleased with the results.

Kayos · « **Reply #24 on:** May 03, 2015, 07:57:36 AM »

I develop everything at home, Rodinol and HC-110 as I decided to move away from powders, Digibase C41 and Fuji E6 kits
I've also dabbled with mono bath but need to come back to that again
I'm carefull with temperature using my self built temp controller, now with a second bottle probe for exact temps (added for E6 as I've been told it's more picky)
I try to be carefull with times but I do occasionally get distracted and forget

Sid Dongre · « **Reply #25 on:** May 03, 2015, 11:29:38 AM »

I process b&w at home, in Perceptol 1:3 or stock, for times suggested by the Massive Dev chart, I then 'scan' using a dSLR & tripod. Colour, I send to Ag-Photographic for dev, print and scans. I expect that I will change to Rodinal, HC-110 or D76 when I run out of Perceptol.

Skorj · « **Reply #26 on:** May 03, 2015, 01:17:40 PM »

Sorry to say, I either:
1) Wait the Polaroid stipulated 60 seconds, then peel.

or

2) Take my C41 (XP2 or Ektar) to my local DPE and get a turnaround in 45 minutes direct to CD.

Wimpy I know, but it's what the kids are doing these days... Skorj.

Ezzie · « **Reply #27 on:** May 03, 2015, 07:26:48 PM »

Caffenol, Rodinal, HC-110 and Ultrafin. Regular or stand. But even with regular development I like rather dilute solutions to prolong development. Allows me to adjust agitation to salvage highlights and/or bring up shadow detail. I tend to over expose a 1/3 to 1/2 stop. Results in a negative that is rather flat in contrast but has gradation from black to white, and scans well. But is a bit more of a pain in the darkroom, I must admit.

Terry · « **Reply #28 on:** May 03, 2015, 07:40:52 PM »

Satish: Shockin' but true! Dilution H is only 1:60. I had been doing B which is 1:30. Never tried HC-110 at a higher dilution than H; does it work?

Indofunk · « **Reply #29 on:** May 03, 2015, 09:23:52 PM »

Oh, I think I was getting "high" and "low" mixed up. I think of B as a "high" dilution because there's more chemical in it, and H to be a "low" dilution because there's less chemical in it. Is that backwards? Anyways, I've also tried HC110 1:100 stand, and it's nice, but I (famously, perhaps) prefer Rodinal 1:100

Francois · « **Reply #30 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:44:48 PM »

Dilution usually relates to the amount of water in the mix... I think...

Indofunk · « **Reply #31 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:45:44 PM »

In that case, I'd prefer "very" dilute vs "not-so" dilute, but those aren't the most technical of terms

Francois · « **Reply #32 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:46:29 PM »

very dilute works... just the opposite of very concentrated.

Indofunk · « **Reply #33 on:** May 03, 2015, 10:49:44 PM »

*headsmack* that's it. "High" dilution is the opposite of "high" concentration. Got it

Terry · « **Reply #34 on:** May 04, 2015, 02:37:19 PM »

English--the language of confusion.

6cmsquare · « **Reply #35 on:** May 04, 2015, 03:50:18 PM »

I've been really pleased with the results of Ilford Delta 100, Rodinal 1:25, as directed (9m, 20C) -but with agitation every minute rather than every 30s, Rinse, Stop at 1:100, rinse, Ilford rapid fixer.

Terry · « **Reply #36 on:** May 04, 2015, 08:24:19 PM »

I think I read somewhere that Rodinal is the oldest currently available developer formula. I know I've got a BJP Annual from the first decade of the 20th century with a make-your-own-Rodinal recipe in it.

timor · « **Reply #37 on:** May 04, 2015, 09:15:14 PM »

Poll lacks one more choice: none of above. Otherwise the rest of the thread is quite funny.

Francois · « **Reply #38 on:** May 04, 2015, 09:46:35 PM »

Quote from: Terry on May 04, 2015, 08:24:19 PM

I think I read somewhere that Rodinal is the oldest currently available developer formula. I know I've got a BJP Annual from the first decade of the 20th century with a make-your-own-Rodinal recipe in it.

I know D-76 and Rodinal are out there when it comes to old age...
To figure out which one is the oldest would require a lot of research.

Urban Hafner · « **Reply #39 on:** May 06, 2015, 01:23:47 PM »

Generally I just put the exposed film in the fridge and never develop it.

If I'm really impatient (and have some cash) I send stuff out to a professional lab. And when I have the time (which these days is very rarely) I develop either in Rodinal 1:100 or Caffenol-C-L.

Terry · « **Reply #40 on:** May 06, 2015, 03:50:53 PM »

Francois, Wikipedia dates both Rodinal and D-76 (as Metol) to 1891. I tend to take Wikipedia with a grain of salt, but it does seem that they're both among the oldest formulas still in use.

Francois · « **Reply #41 on:** May 06, 2015, 09:48:38 PM »

Wow... that's really old!
Too bad some of the early formulas have now gone extinct. Some of them looked rather interesting...
But I guess the modern materials don't need some of those chems anymore.

Terry · « **Reply #42 on:** May 06, 2015, 10:00:47 PM »

Those old BJP annuals were full of formulas for developing chemicals, toners and the like. If I get some time I'll scan a page or two from my oldest one (I think it's 1918) and post them.

Francois · « **Reply #43 on:** May 06, 2015, 10:38:28 PM »

I have a ton of very old ones in my formulary. Things dating back well into the 1800's like developers for Cramer Plates.
I also have the formula for Kodak D-1 which was a pyro developer, some self toning paper developers, two bath developers... you name it...
Some even use Acetone... don't ask why.